The 2020 fiscal year is proving very challenging for the Interfaith Housing Initiative. Like so many of our partners and faith communities, we are facing funding shortages in this season that threaten our continuing work together.
For the last five years, we have appreciated the support of a circle of funders that included contributions of money, space and volunteer energy from our supporting faith communities. We know times are hard for all of us, but we need your help right now. As it stands currently, we will not be able to continue serving our community past the end of August, 2020.
Please know that we are exploring all options to be able to continue our work. We have grant applications underway and conversations with some of our partners in the sector. We are hopeful some of these avenues will prove to sustain us, but we need your help too.
What do we need to keep doing our work?
Interfaith Housing’s operating budget is quite small currently as we continue to enjoy gifts of office space and shelter under the organizational umbrella of the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton. We also continue to receive gifts of meeting space, food, and volunteer energy on our various committees and working groups. This generosity has allowed us to keep operating with a budget of less than $70,000 annually.
With that support, we have been able to do some pretty amazing work serving our city and her faith communities.
We have been a resource…
Hosting workshops on affordable housing in neighbourhoods around the city.
Supporting faith communities in exploring land development/redevelopment with the possible inclusion of affordable/supportive housing.
Helping local faith communities work together to respond to local needs in their community.
Promoting the Interfaith Works Project; a yearly volunteer drive with Habitat for Humanity providing people of many faith communities opportunity to work together to provide families with a home.
Advocating for meaningful housing solutions with all three orders of Government.
Providing tools, resources, volunteer opportunities and public education via our website: http://www.interfaithhousing.ca, and our newsletter: the Neighbourly.
Hosting important conversations such as last year’s conversation that worked to search out a shared understanding of how harm reduction and abstinences approaches both work in supporting a person's recovery from addictions and trauma..
Developing resources to aid people and families, such as
A listing of free tax clinics we kept current in Spring of 2020 with regular updates.
Neighbouring in Covid cardsto help people reach out safely to neighbours with offer of care and support.
Our working group exploring the creation of a 0% mortgage program
We want to continue to serve our city and ask for your help in meeting our operating budget.
To donate, please visit the following page hosted by the Anglican Diocese and select Interfaith Housing Initiative from the list of donors:
Cheques can be made out to the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton and designated to the Interfaith Housing Initiative in the memo line.
Please mail cheques and donations to the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton at 10035 - 103 Street, Edmonton, Alberta; T5J 0X5
Many thanks for your continued support!
The Steering Committee
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities
Welcome Home
One of the biggest reasons people struggle or fail as they come out of homelessness into housing is loneliness. Welcome Home assembles and trains a small team of volunteers to walk with someone as a friend. This is a one-year commitment to go for coffee, go bowling, take long walks, to encourage and pray for a fellow human being on a tough stretch of the road. To find out more information about volunteering contact the Welcome Home Coordinator at 780-378-2544. https://www.cssalberta.ca/Our-Ministries/Volunteer-Mentoring-Support
Volunteer with CRIHI on one of our working committees:
Help plan and organize events with Education and Advocacy
Join our steering committee to help us find meaningful ways to work together and learn together in addressing poverty and homelessness in Edmonton.
Email: mike@interfaithhousing.ca
Get Firsthand Experience
CRIHI's website has a strong list of opportunities where volunteers can learn by serving. Here's the link: http://wp.me/P20ewB-5R
Get involved in your Local Community
Visit or Join your Community League - engage in your neighbourhood's efforts to build community, go for coffee with the leadership, and learn about some of the justice issues taking place in your neighbourhood. http://www.efcl.org
Explore the social dynamics in your neighbourhood
Unsure what the needs are in your community? MAPS Alberta is a great resource to see how your neighbourhood stacks up on a range of social demographics. Explore their Social Atlas and numerous other useful resources at: www.mapsab.ca
Connect, Contribute, Inspire!
Join our Learning Community! The Interfaith Housing Initiative was formed in response to a City of Edmonton and Province of Alberta commitment: the Ten-year-plan to End Homelessness. Faith leaders from across the city came together to say, “Addressing homelessness is important to our communities too! How can we help?”
Get Involved! Join the conversation! Sign up for our email newsletter and learn with us. This is a monthly publication where we will be provide good information, generate ideas that work, tell each other’s stories, and share how communities and organizations around Edmonton are responding to the needs of Edmonton’s most vulnerable.
Share your stories with us! A good story reminds us of what is possible. The work of providing help, support and home to a neighbor is nothing new, and people of faith tell many stories that inspire. Stories from today, or stories from a thousand years ago; we want to hear them! Share the stories of compassion, hospitality that inspire you and your community so that their sharing can inspire others around Edmonton.
Submit stories and insights to mike@interfaithhousing.ca
Contact Us:
Mike Van Boom
CRIHI Housing Ambassador
Mike@interfaithhousing.ca
(780) 554-2703
Religious and spiritual communities working to end homelessness in Edmonton
